A Love That Consumes You
by love of escapism
Summary: "Damon is either the best thing for her, or the worst." Esther puts a spell on Elena that enables her to read Klaus's mind, not realising that she has also gave Elena access to every other vampires mind. Elena will now get to see firsthand exactly how Damon feels about her and the lengths that he will go to prove his love to her. Set during episode 3x14.
1. Chapter 1

**"Damon is either the best thing for her, or the worst." Esther puts a spell on Elena that enables her to read Klaus's mind, not realising that she has also gave Elena access to every other vampires mind. Elena will now get to see firsthand exactly how Damon feels about her and the lengths that he will go to prove his love to her. Set during episode 3x14.**

**A/N – I couldn't help myself. I came up with this idea in work today and I had to write it. I have a lot of time to write so I know I will be keeping all my stories up to date regularly. I hope you enjoy the first chapter of my new story.**

**Please review to let me know it is worth continuing. **

**Chapter One – Mind Reader **

"Why did you want me here Esther?" Elena asked her as she stood next to the door. Elena was too scared to get any closer to her. She knew Damon would be angry about what had happened, but she had to go and talk to her. Elena knew that even if she had came here tonight or not that Esther would come and find her anyway. She didn't have a choice.

"I have a proposition for you, Elena. Seeing as you are the doppelgänger, I believe that you would be the best person to carry out my plan," Esther replied nonchalantly. Elena watched as she poured different substances into a large bowl. Elena could tell that she was in the process of casting some sort of spell.

"What plan?" Elena walked a little closer to Esther, trying to decipher exactly what was going on. She suddenly felt as though Damon may have actually been right about tonight. She couldn't have come. It was too dangerous.

"Well, Niklaus always seems to be one step ahead of me. I can't have that anymore. I have decided to give you the power to read his mind. Unfortunately, I am not able to have the power myself, so you are my next choice. You will find out the information I need and if you don't I will make sure that every person you have ever loved will die. It's as simple as that." Esther smiled softly at Elena. Esther knew that she was taking this a bit far by threatening Elena's loved ones, but she had to find out what Niklaus's plan was. She couldn't stand by idly and let this abomination continue. She had started this and she had to end it.

"I thought you were supposed to bring balance? Why would you do this?" Elena was fed up of people threatening the people she loved. But, just like Esther, she knew that it was the one thing that would make Elena do anything that she wanted her to. She had lost too many people that were close to her. If he had to listen to Klaus's thoughts to protect her family then she would.

"I am bringing balance, once you give me the information I need, I can put a stop to this. Nobody can know, Elena. And don't be mistaken in thinking I won't notice if you are lying or not. I will and you will pay," Ester said firmly as she walked over and grabbed Elena's arm.

Elena didn't even bother trying to fight back. She did want rid of Klaus and if this was the way to do it then she would have to work alone.

"How am I going to get close to Klaus to find out what is even going on with him? I mean Damon and Stefan won't even let me near him," Elena protested.

"Well, you will find a way or I make it easier for you and dispose of both of them. You choose." Esther pulled Elena closer to the large bowl that was now bubbling.

"What are you going to do to me?" Elena was scared. She did want revenge on Klaus, but the thought of taking him on herself scared her.

"Nothing, you just have to drink this." Esther poured some of the concoction into a glass and handed it to Elena to drink.

Elena looked at her sceptically, "How can I trust that this actually is what you say it is?" Elena didn't know what to do. How could she trust Esther. It was pretty clear to her that this entire family were liars. They only looked out only for themselves.

"I know what you are thinking, Elena. But, think about it. I want Niklaus dead, so do you. He won't harm you as you are the doppelgänger. I need you to help me, Elena. Why wouldn't you want to? He has made your life hell. He killed your Aunt Jenna." Esther gave Elena a hard look. Elena knew that she was right. This was what she had been trying to do for months now. If Stefan or Damon had been asked to do this she knew also that they would have done it. Anything to get rid of Klaus.

"Okay, give me it." Elena picked up the glass and quickly drank the liquid over. She almost gagged at the taste but stopped herself from doing so. She placed the glass down after the drink was finished and wiped her mouth.

"I don't feel anything different?" Elena asked Esther, hoping that it didn't work and she would have to go through with this horrible plan.

"You won't. It just means that now you will be about to hear Niklaus's thoughts. You can leave now, I will contact you soon with your next instruction. Now, remember… You can't whisper a word of this to anyone, especially to the Salvatore's."

Elena nodded in response as she made her way back down to the big hall. She couldn't believe what had happened. She noticed Klaus standing talking to Caroline, she decided this would be the perfect test to see if this spell actually worked. She walked through the crowds of people and stood next to them both, attempting to join in their conversation without seeming too suspicious.

"Well if it isn't Miss Doppalicious coming to say hello," Klaus joked as he smiled towards Elena. She nodded in return and tried to focus all her energy into trying to hear his thoughts.

"Doppalicious? Really? Where did you come up with that one? One of your many fake hybrids tell you it?" Caroline scoffed at Klaus as they began to bicker for the hundredth time. Elena chose to ignore them both as she zoned in on Klaus again.

_I can't help but just rile her up, she just radiates beauty. _

Elena jumped back in horror at hearing his thoughts. It was a strange experience for her. She hadn't believed that it would actually work.

"Elena, are you okay?" Caroline asked as she held onto Elena's arm.

_What is up with her? And why is Klaus always such a di-_

"What the hell!" Elena shouted, staring at Caroline. She couldn't believe that she had just heard Caroline's thoughts too. This wasn't part of the plan.

"What is up with you, Elena? Are you okay?" Caroline asked again, worried at how her best friend was acting.

_She really is not acting herself. Maybe I should go and get Stefan and Damon._

Caroline began looking around for the Salvatore brothers. She could tell that something was up with Elena, but it too dangerous to talk about anything in front of Klaus.

"No! I'm fine. I just need some air. I'll talk to you later, Caroline." Elena started to quickly walk away and make her way outside. She couldn't believe that she could hear Caroline's thoughts. She had to see Esther as soon as possible to get this spell removed. She felt like she was invading Caroline's privacy. Elena sat on the bench at the back of the house, hating how the night had turned out. As much as she did want Klaus out of her life she just hated being able to read his mind. She would hate if anyone could read her mind. Your own thoughts were private, everyone should at least be given that one luxury. Elena sat on the bench enjoying the cool breeze as she tried to process everything that had happened.

_Why does she make it so hard?I can't stand the thought of her in any danger. _

"Damon?" Elena turned round and noticed Damon standing behind her.

"How did you know I was here?" He asked as he took a seat next to her on the bench.

"What do you mean? Didn't you just speak?" Elena asked, knowing that her worst fears were about to be confirmed.

"Nope. Maybe you are just hanging about with us vampires too much that our wonderful powers are starting to rub off on you. Now, should I shout at you now or later for going to see Esther alone?" Damon asked, angry that she had to go behind his back tonight.

_I don't know what I would do if anything happened to her. I can't live without her in my life now. _

Elena looked down embarrassed, hearing what Damon was thinking about her was definitely unnerving. She knew she shouldn't be hearing this. Of course she knew that Damon had feelings for her, but he was never truly open about it. It was hard for Elena to hear, especially as she wasn't sure about how she felt for Damon. Sure, she knew that she did have feelings for him and strong feelings at that. But, she just wasn't ready to face them yet. They could change everything.

"It went fine. It was rather strange, actually. She just apologised for everything that Klaus has done. She said she felt it was her fault as she created him in the first place." Elena hated lying to Damon, but she knew she was actually just protecting him. She had to do exactly what Esther wanted her to if she wanted to protect the people that she loved and if that meant telling a little white lie to Damon then she would have to do it.

"Well it looks like the Original Witchy is having some regrets. As long as you are okay, Elena. I need you to stay safe." Damon took Elena's hand in his as he gave it a small squeeze.

_If she only knew how I felt. I wish I hadn't compelled her that first night I met her. Things could have been so different._

Elena quickly pulled her hand away from his in complete shock. She was so confused by what Damon was thinking. She never thought that he had compelled her. She didn't know when he would have had the chance to. She suddenly felt betrayed. She was angry that he hadn't told her this. Something also inside of her was pushing to be let out to the surface. She knew if he had compelled her then the memory would be somewhere in her mind.

"Elena, what is wrong with you? You seem very jumpy…" Damon moved closed along the bench and held Elena's hand back in his. As much as she wanted to pull away again she couldn't, how could she explain it? She relaxed into his touch again and knew as soon as this was over she would ask Damon. She wanted to remember every moment between them.

"I'm fine. It's just been a long day. Could you possibly go get my car round the front while I go and get my coat? I just want to go home," Elena asked Damon as she stood up.

"Sure," Damon replied.

_Anything for you._

Elena suddenly blushed again as she heard Damon's thoughts. She knew this was going to be the end of her. She had spent only 10 minutes with him and she felt like she hardly knew him. It didn't make it any easier that he was constantly throwing her compliments in his mind. She was supposed to be waiting till Stefan was better, but Damon's thoughts were only making her even more conflicted. She also felt guilty for betraying him. He would be so angry if he knew that she could hear him. If he felt anything for Elena he should be able to tell her when he wants to.

"Are you blushing? Damon asked as he stood in front of Elena.

Elena looked up and suddenly realised how close Damon was to her. His eyes were staring straight into hers, she felt like he was trying to see into her soul. His two hands came to hold her waist softly as he pushed her closer to him. His intense gaze was too much for her, her eyes started to move down as they honed in on Damon's lips. She knew what she wanted to do, but she also knew it would only complicate everything even more.

"I'm fine. I was just a little hot," Elena replied, scared to meet Damon's gaze again.

"Liar, I think I have this effect on you. I make you blush. It's fine, it happens," Damon teased Elena, not letting her go.

"You're hilarious, Damon. Now, can you please go get my car?" Elena was finding this all too much. He was breaking down her walls and there was nothing she could do about it. She knew it wasn't supposed to be this way.

"I will. But, I need you to know how beautiful you are tonight. I also need to tell you to not ever go behind me back again, Elena. I'm always going to protect you, but I can't do that if you're not honest with me." Damon was now serious as he spoke to her.

_I love you._

Elena was so taken aback by what Damon had thought. She knew that he loved her. But, hearing him say it with so much intensity was something else entirely. Elena pushed closer to Damon and slowly gave him a small peck on the lips. She pulled back and smiled as she noticed him smiling too. She didn't know why she did it, but only knew that she wanted to. She was seeing a softer side to Damon and it was only making her feelings for him stronger.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that, Damon," Elena replied. She meant what she said. She didn't want to cause someone that she cared about any pain. Elena pulled out of Damon's embrace and walked back into the hall. She knew he was going to go around the side to get the car so this was her only chance to talk to Esther and get her to fix this spell. Elena looked around and noticed that everyone seemed to be busy. She quickly made her way up the marble staircase and knocked on the door at the top.

"You may come in, Elena," Esther said.

Elena opened the door and snuck into the room, the last thing she wanted was for anyone to see her here again.

"Why are you back so soon may I ask?" Esther was sitting on her chair watching Elena curiously.

"There is a problem with the spell. I can hear every vampire. Not just Klaus! I can hear Caroline and Damon's thoughts. It's killing me. I can't do this." Elena started to pace Esther's room.

"What do you mean?" Esther seemed confused. She was sure that the spell would have only tied Elena to Klaus thoughts.

"I mean I can hear every vampires thoughts! I can't bare it. I feel awful. I shouldn't be hearing their thoughts, they are private." Elena was still pacing the room. She could hardly take in everything that had just happened and she needed Esther to sort it now.

"I don't know what has happened, Elena. I will need to try and figure it out. You will just have to deal with it for now." Esther began looking through her spell book, confused as to what had happened.

"Deal with it for now? Really? That's your amazing advice? I came here because I need help after you messed things up!" Elena was furious.

"Elena, you need to calm down. There is nothing I can do. Once I work out what has went wrong I will be in touch with you, okay?" Esther asked Elena.

Elena replied with a sigh and walked out the room and down to the cloakroom.

"Why were you up there for a second time tonight?"

Elena jumped as she heard Stefan's voice behind her. She knew that he had been watching her. She watched as he walked over and helped her put on her coat.

"I was saying thank you for having us, but I have to leave early as I have a sore head." Elena replied, not really knowing what else to say to him.

_Liar._

Elena's head shot up as she heard Stefan's thoughts. He was right, but she wasn't going to tell him that.

"I see. Well I hope your head gets better soon. How are you getting home?" He asked.

_Like I even need to ask._

"Damon," Elena replied, not enjoying hearing Stefan's thoughts. There was something strange about them. They made him seem completely different.

"Okay, well get home safe then," Stefan said as he watched Elena nod then start to walk out the door.

_I'm sorry._

"For what?" Elena asked as she turned round to face Stefan.

"What?" Stefan asked confused.

Elena realised that he hadn't actually said anything and blushed. She knew that she was going to have to be careful that she wasn't mixing up people's thoughts with them speaking. She had to make sure that no one worked out what was going on.

"Nothing. My sore head is just making me a bit crazy I guess," Elena joked as she turned back round and walked away. She shook her head, wondering if this would get any easier. She needed Esther to come up with something quick. It was all too much for her to handle on her own.

Elena noticed Damon looking frantically in the crowd for her. She walked over and notice him smile as soon as he laid eyes on her.

"You worry too much, I was just coming." Elena took Damon's arm as they started to make their way out of the mansion.

"Why did you kiss me earlier?" Damon suddenly said as soon as they were both seated in the car.

"What?" Elena asked, taken aback. She hadn't even heard him thinking. Elena suddenly realised that she hadn't heard him thinking since after she spoke with Stefan. She wondered if Esther had fixed the spell.

"Why did you kiss me?" Damon asked again. He knew it was only a small kiss that probably didn't mean anything to her. But, it meant everything to him and he wanted to know why she did it.

" I wanted to," Elena replied. She was too tired to lie. She did want to kiss him, in that moment there was nothing that she wanted to do more.

"Oh… I see. Good," Damon said as a massive smile erupted on his face. He didn't want to ruin the moment by saying anything else. He just drove Elena home, thinking over and over about the moment he had just shared with her.

The entire journey home Elena didn't hear one thought from Damon. She knew it was impossible for him not to be thinking anything, therefore she was sure that whatever went wrong was fixed. She was happy that she couldn't hear him anymore. It was dangerous for her. She knew that the more she heard the more she would feel for him.

"Well, that's you home. Don't worry I'm not going to kiss you. I like when you do it on your own," Damon said happily as he rushed out and opened the door for Elena. She smiled in return and jumped out the car. She was enjoying this side to Damon, it was as though something within him had changed slightly and he was being more of a gentleman.

"I'll see you later, Damon."

"Goodnight, Elena." Damon said as he watched her make her way into the house.

Elena made her way upstairs, thinking over and over about what had happened that night. She looked over as her phone starting ringing, she was confused when she noticed it was a blocked number.

"Hello?"

"Elena?" Esther's voice replied.

"Yes?"

"I'm so sorry."

"Esther what are you talking about?"

"When you came to me tonight saying that something was wrong and you could hear other vampire's thoughts I knew something with the spell wasn't right."

"And?"

"I don't know how to tell you this… but I've cast the wrong spell on you." Ester's voice rang through Elena's body as she tried to take in what she was saying.

"Wrong spell? What spell have you put on me?" Elena asked anxiously.

"You're not going to like this but…"

**A/N - Drama, drama, drama. Please review and let me know what you think. **


	2. Chapter Two - Betrayal

**A/N – I have the second chapter of my story for you. I was really happy with the response the first chapter received. I want to thank everyone who took an interest in this story. You all made me smile. **

**To those who reviewed Chapter 1, but don't have a FF account – **

**Lucie96 – Thank you very much for your lovely review! I am so glad that you enjoyed the first chapter. I love Damon, too! :)**

**Guest – Thank you so much for your review. I am going to show different sides to both brothers that Elena won't be expecting. I hope that you enjoy the ride! :)**

**Lkjhgf – Thank you so much for the review, glad you enjoyed the chapter! :)**

**Jules – Thanks for the review, Jules. I hope that you enjoyed Chapter 2! :)**

**I hope you enjoy this chapter and please let me know what you think! Did you suspect that this would be the other side to the spell? **

**Chapter Two - Betrayal**

Elena made her way upstairs, thinking over and over about what had happened that night. She looked over as her phone starting ringing, she was confused when she noticed it was a blocked number.

"Hello?"

"Elena?" Esther's voice replied.

"Yes?"

"I'm so sorry."

"Esther what are you talking about?"

"When you came to me tonight saying that something was wrong and you could hear other vampire's thoughts I knew something with the spell wasn't right."

"And?"

"I don't know how to tell you this… but I've cast the wrong spell on you." Ester's voice rang through Elena's body as she tried to take in what she was saying.

"Wrong spell? What spell have you put on me?" Elena asked anxiously.

"You're not going to like this but…"

"Just spit it out," Elena said angrily, knowing that whatever Esther was about to say wasn't going to be good news. Elena walked over to her window seat, knowing that she would probably have to sit down to hear this. She had had enough trouble that day without adding fainting and smacking her head to the list.

"Once you came and told me about the spell I looked back over the page that it was on. I hadn't realised at the time but it had actually been ripped out. The spell that you were supposed to have cast over you was that you could only hear Niklaus's thoughts and it would only have been for a short period of time before fading away. But, the spell that was on that page is a darker spell. It does allow you to read thoughts, but it allows you to read every vampire's thoughts…" Esther stopped and Elena knew she wasn't finished. This could only mean that this was the hard part. Elena took a deep breath as she tried to concentrate on everything that Esther was saying, but then something hit her.

"The balance of nature," Elena muttered before Esther had a chance to continue talking. Elena knew it always came down to this. Even though the witches could give many people different abilities, they always made sure that there was a balance in nature. They wouldn't let anyone have too much power without them having a weakness. Elena understood this, she was just scared to find out what her weakness was. From the way Esther had been talking it didn't sound like it was going to be all that good, not that it ever was. Elena cursed herself for going to see Esther that night. She never understood how things could never just work out the way they had planned. She didn't want to hear other vampire's thoughts, not Caroline's, Stefan's and most definitely not Damon's.

"Yes, Elena. The witches don't want one human being to have that much power. They need to have the balance of nature in place. Give one person a strength, but make sure they also have a weakness. It's only fair," Esther said.

"Well, what is my weakness?" Elena asked. She was fed up with Esther stalling; Elena knew exactly how it all worked. She just wanted to know exactly what was going on. The sooner she could find out the sooner she could get Bonnie to help her fix it.

"You are able to read vampire's thoughts Elena, so in turn vampires can read yours too, if they chose to," Esther said mysteriously.

"What do you mean?" Elena was confused. How could a vampire read her thoughts too? She just couldn't make sense of it. She thought that at least someone tonight would have said something if they could.

"You can read vampire's minds Elena, but only if they let you. If vampire's have their guard up around you it will be harder for you to get into their mind. You may sometimes not be able to hear them," Ester replied.

"Can they read my thoughts the same way I can read theirs?" Elena began to panic. She was worried if Damon had heard what she was thinking earlier. She was even more worried that Klaus had heard her, he would want her dead if he knew anything about this truce with his mother. Elena jumped up and started pacing her bedroom, she was worried.

"No. It's different. They can feel what you are thinking and as soon as they get a hold of that they can make you say how you feel. If you let your guard down around a vampire and they ask you a question you will tell them the truth. Your mouth will betray you, Elena. Just like their thoughts are betraying them," Esther said seriously.

Elena stopped pacing immediately and stood rooted to the ground. She could see why the witches would do this, it was only fair after all. But, she couldn't believe that this could happen to her. This was becoming more and more dangerous and she didn't like it one bit. She didn't mind listening to Klaus's mind for a few minutes to find out what he was up to. But this was so much more. This could cause a lot of problems. She was surrounded by vampires every day of her life. How could she possibly constantly push them away?

"What did you mean about them having their guard up? Can I do that too?" Elena had to know if she could stop this from happening. She couldn't let her mouth speak freely, on a daily basis her mind betrayed her by thinking things that she believed she shouldn't be. Things that would end up messing everything up.

"Yes, but it is hard Elena. If someone is closed off from you, you won't be able to hear them. This could be if they are angry or trying to push themselves away from being close with you. It's the exact same with you, too. If you push away from someone, or you really don't want someone to know what you are thinking, then they won't. But, it won't always work, Elena. The vampires that you are closest to will be easier to read, but that works both ways." Esther said, knowingly.

Elena huffed as she thought of how much this was going to affect her. How could she trust herself around anyone? What if she was trying to read Klaus's mind and he caught onto that and asked her straight out? What if she couldn't lie. Elena sat back on her bed suddenly exhausted. She didn't know what to do.

"We can't go through with the plan…" Elena said softly, not wanting to do this anymore.

"You are going through with the plan, Elena. Yes, there are a few tweaks needing to be done here and there. But, you will find out what Niklaus is up to. Remember what I said, Elena. Just think of your family." Esther wasn't letting Elena blow the plan off. Yes, it was more complicated now, but they would just have to deal with it.

Elena wanted to shout at Esther, tell her that she couldn't do this to her and to shove her whole plan up her ass. But, she couldn't. Just like earlier she thought of her loved ones and the answer was simple; she would go through with the plan. Losing anyone else in her life was too big a price to pay. If she was caught out, she was caught out.

"Why are you doing this to me? Can't you fix it? I mean undo this spell and go along with the original plan?" Elena asked anxiously. She had to find another way out. She couldn't let any of her loved ones be harmed, but she wasn't sure that she would be able to do this. She was close to too many vampires and they all knew her so well. Caroline was her best friend, Stefan was her ex-boyfriend and then there was Damon. The person she was probably closest to out of all of them.

"This has to be done. You need to think of the bigger picture here, Elena. We both need to find out what Niklaus is up to so we can kill him. It also means that you can hear what my other children are up to. It's a win, win situation," Esther replied light-heartedly, trying to clear the brewing tension between herself and Elena.

"A "win-win" situation? Are you mad? Klaus will know, he probably knows already!" Elena exclaimed, realising suddenly that she was no longer safe.

"He won't. It doesn't work right away. It will come over you gradually and will only get worse. Besides, if he was to know about it then you would know about it. You can hear his thoughts, Elena. You did well tonight when you went to see him while he was with Caroline. His guard will be done when she is around."

Elena couldn't believe how Esther was acting about this. Elena knew she was sure to be caught, or she would end up telling one of her friends. She couldn't have a constant guard up around them, they would notice.

"They will find out, Esther. What if I end up telling one of them?" Elena asked, already knowing the answer.

"If you want the people that you love to live, you won't. Now, I need to go but I will be in touch." Esther hung up the phone as quickly as she had spoken.

Elena put her head in her hands. She didn't know what to do, it was the first time in ages that she had truly felt all alone. She had always had someone to confide in, always someone there for her. But, now she couldn't tell them. She would have to lie and push them away from her. They wouldn't understand, they will probably think they have done something wrong. But, if they only knew that she was just trying to protect them. Elena huffed for what felt the hundredth time that night as she got up to change for bed. She walked through to her bathroom as she put on her pyjamas and brushed her teeth. Her mind was in complete overdrive. All she could think about was the fact that if she wasn't careful all her darkest secrets would come out to play. She knew she was a bad liar in the first place, adding this stupid spell into the works would only make things worse.

She thought back to earlier tonight and things started making sense. She couldn't hear Damon's thoughts in the car, he must have had his guard up. She knew he probably would after she kissed him and then told him she shouldn't have done it. Elena then quickly realised why she had kissed Damon. She would never have done that before, but she had been betrayed by her mind. When Elena had heard his thoughts, when she heard him say in his mind that he loved her something inside Elena snapped. She couldn't believe that it had happened to her that quickly.

_"The vampires that you are closest to will be easier to read, but that works both ways."_

Elena heard Esther's voice again in her head as she thought back to the conversation they had just had. She came to the conclusion that because she was so close to Damon it was easier for her to slip up around him. She had to be extra careful when he was near and she had to try and not listen to his thoughts. She had only had this power one night and already his thoughts were messing with her more than she could let on.

Elena tossed her hair up in a messy bun as she walked through to her bedroom. She jumped back suddenly as she noticed Damon sitting on her window seat, a mischievous smile on his face. He looked Elena up and down, taking in her toned legs in her small shorts.

"Who likes short shorts? I do!" Damon said as he winked at Elena.

_I really like them…_

Elena would usually roll her eyes when Damon made silly comments like this, but knowing that he was really thinking it suddenly made her blush. She looked over and noticed Damon starting at her intensely.

"There's something wrong with you, Elena. What's wrong?" Damon said seriously as he walked over to her.

Elena turned round trying not to face him as she tried her best to push him away. She couldn't fail this quickly. She quickly thought about him being in danger because she didn't do what she should have. This gave her the strength to turn round and face him. She couldn't help but smile softly when she realised how concerned Damon was. His blue eyes were looking directly into hers as he put his hand on her arm, massaging it softly.

"I'm fine. Why would you think that something is wrong?" Elena asked, trying to act exactly as she was saying. It reminded her of how she felt after her parents died. People would be asking her if she was okay and if her and Jeremy were coping. She would always have to lie, put on a front and say she was fine.

"I don't know, I just had this feeling. Like you were worried. I don't know…" Damon said shaking his head as he made his way back to the window seat. Elena sighed softly, happy that he hadn't probed her too much.

"Why are you here, Damon?" Elena asked. She didn't want him to think that she didn't want him here. But she had to get her thoughts together and work out how to control her feelings before being around anyone, especially him. With Damon it was dangerous, she was never sure how she was going to feel around him. She was always surprised and she knew that sometimes her feelings for Damon caught her off guard.

"Straight to the point, I see. You kissed me and…" Damon looked down, suddenly looking embarrassed. Elena could see that he hated not knowing what to say. He was always the guy with the snarky comments. He always had an answer for everything.

_Just say it you idiot. I think she knows that she kissed you, she was there…_

Elena escaped a small giggle, finding his inner monologue amusing. She then realised that he was now staring at her with wild eyes.

"Do you find kissing me funny?" Damon asked, suddenly standing up as he walked over to her again.

"No, not at all! You just looked funny…" Elena was smacking herself internally. How could she tell him he looked funny? He was letting his guard down with her which he doesn't do often and she ruined it.

"I looked funny?" Damon couldn't understand what Elena was talking about.

"No…" Elena smiled softly. Not sure of what she should be saying. A part of her found it all rather amusing, but another part of her was telling her to get it together. She had to be strong in front of him. She couldn't let him feel what she was feeling, it would ruin everything. If Damon knew he would go straight to Esther, he would probably also be angry at Elena for lying to him. He had asked her not even an hour ago to always tell him the truth.

"Are you drunk?" Damon asked, laughing softly as he put his hands on Elena's waist. He couldn't understand why she was acting this way and the only logical reason could be that she was drunk.

"Nope…" Elena was trying to say as little as she could. She didn't want to give Damon any reason to doubt her, or think that something more was going on. But, she knew that she was failing miserably.

"Tell me the truth, Elena," Damon said softly as he lifted her chin so his face was mere inches from hers.

As soon as Damon asked Elena for the truth she knew she was in trouble. She kept telling herself to say that everything was fine, but she couldn't. Her mouth wasn't letting her speak.

"It's just… you're really hot," Elena blurted out as her hand rushed up to her mouth.

Damon looked at Elena shocked, he couldn't believe what she had just said. As soon as the words left her mouth and the shock blew over, Damon smiled the cockiest smile that Elena had ever seen.

"What was that, Elena?" Damon asked, wanting to hear it again.

"You are really hot…" Elena said quickly as she turned around and walked away from him. She couldn't believe that this was happening. It was like word vomit. She couldn't do anything to stop it. He wanted to know the truth and what she had been thinking was that he didn't look funny, he had looked really hot.

_She thinks I'm hot. Wow. A kiss and a compliment all in one night, what has changed?_

"Why, thank you Elena. Took you long enough to admit it. I mean I knew you felt that way anyway, constantly staring at me," Damon laughed as he sat back comfortably on Elena's bed.

Elena was having an internal panic attack. She was so embarrassed. Of course she thought that Damon was hot, anyone who didn't must be in need of a pair of glasses. But, the last thing she wanted to do was let him know she thought that. The cocky smirk only made her find him more attractive. The fact that he was so happy she called him hot only made her want to say it more.

"You need to leave," Elena suddenly said as she looked at Damon. She needed to get her thoughts together. She couldn't have him here when she was like this.

_Great, you ruined it again with one of your stupid ass comments._

Damon looked down, like he was hurt. Elena knew that she was being harsh. She was being so hot and cold but she had to be. She couldn't let him stay in this room with her any longer. Things were about to take a dangerous turn if he didn't leave and she was going to end up having a conversation with him that she wasn't ready for.

"Elena, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound rude. I like that you think I'm attractive." Damon smiled softly, the hurt still evident in his face. She could see that Damon didn't want to leave.

"You need to go. I need to think about things, please? For me," Elena whispered as she took Damon's hand in her own. She didn't want to be mean to him. In fact it was the last thing that she wanted to do. She felt awful for making him feel bad, but she had to push him away.

"Okay, I'm sorry," Damon said again as he got ready to leave. Elena could see that he was upset. But, there was nothing she could do. To console him she would have to let him in and she couldn't do that. Elena turned round, unable to watch him leave. It was hard enough after she had been the one that had asked him to. Elena was quickly whisked out of her thoughts as she felt Damon's strong arms turn her round as he kissed her hard on the lips. Elena's guard immediately fell as soon as his soft lips touched hers. But, as soon as they had been their the warmth was quickly taken away as he pulled back. Damon started into Elena's eyes, his love for her shining through.

_I may be leaving you, Elena. But my heart is always with you._

"Why did you kiss me, Damon?" Elena asked, trying not to listen to his thoughts, they were killing her. She wanted to say things that she couldn't.

"Because I wanted to…" Damon said simply, reiterating the words that Elena had used earlier that night. He smiled softly at her and then was he was gone.

Elena suddenly fell to the floor as the weight of the situation she was in hit her. She couldn't believe how she had acted with him. It wasn't like her not to be in control and she hated it. She couldn't act that way around him. He was Stefan's brother. He was the man that had done so many bad things. She wasn't supposed to feel this way. She was most definitely not supposed to tell him that she thought he was hot. Elena's face quickly turned a deep shade of red as she thought about what had just happened. She smiled when she thought of him kissing her again. But, the smile quickly disappeared when she thought about what it did to her.

He was pushing his way in and her guard at the moment was pretty much non-existent. She couldn't let him break down her walls so easily. She had to learn control again. She had to push him as far away as possible. Elena knew that it was going to be hard. He was persistent and she had strong feelings for him. But, in order to protect him and everyone else that she cared about she had too. At least until she could figure out how to keep her guard up.

Elena lay back on her bed, feeling even more exhausted than she had done previously. She looked at her phone and noticed that she had a text message form Damon.

**I meant what I said. I really wanted to… I always do. D x**

Elena's heart fluttered as she read the message. She knew that he had wanted to kiss her and she knew that she wanted to kiss him back. She laughed softly as thought about how tonight had panned out. Before tonight the tension between her and Damon was something that she could cope with. But, within the last few hours they had kissed twice and she had told him he was hot. Elena also laughed at how Esther told her the spell wouldn't work right away. It clearly had for her… too quickly.

Elena moved about as she tried to get comfy in her bed. She knew even though she was tired she wouldn't be getting much sleep. Her thoughts that should have been consumed with working out what to do with the spell where otherwise engaged. Her mind swarmed with images of Damon kissing her, Damon's thoughts and how he had acted with her tonight. She knew she shouldn't be doing this, that it would only make things worse, but she couldn't get the image of those deep blue eyes out of her mind.

She knew this wasn't going to be easy. How could she possible let Damon go after just realising exactly how she felt about him?

**A/N – I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please review and let me know what you thought. There will be more to the spell, but I'm afraid that won't be disclosed till later on in the story. **

**Rebecca :)**


	3. Chapter 3 - Breathe Again

**A/N - Hello, hope you all didn't mind the small wait for this chapter. I hope you all enjoy it. **

**Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed, followed and favourited this story. It means so much. **

**A MASSIVE thank you to my new partner in crime, my beta Sheynondoah. She is amazing and really helped with the chapter.**

**Please let me know what you all think. I would love a review from everyone following the story.**

**Also, a massive thank you to those who have reviewed but don't have an account, I have replied to you all at the bottom.**

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**Chapter Three - Breathe Again**

Elena couldn't sleep. Every time that she closed her eyes her mind would go into complete overdrive. The conversation that she had earlier with Esther was taunting her. Her words playing over and over in Elena's mind. She knew that she wouldn't be able to go through with this. Her run-in with Damon had made that more than obvious. She had no control over what she was saying.

Elena cringed as she thought about what she had said to Damon earlier. The image of his smirk was embedded in her memory and she was sure that it wouldn't be leaving her any time soon. She could tell that Damon was happy with her revelation; his reaction was more than enough proof. She read over his text again, the butterflies going crazy within her stomach. Elena knew this wasn't good. She shouldn't be feeling this way for him. She had been doing her best to fight it for so long and now it seemed like it had all been for nothing. The little bit of self-control that she did have around Damon had quickly been wiped away from her and now all she was left with was the truth. Her feelings for him would be plain to see for anyone who asked and there was nothing that she could do about it.

She knew she had a decision to make; she could give into her feelings, tell Damon how she really felt and probably end up being more in love than she had ever been in her entire life. Or she could do the smart thing; push him away. Elena had lost too many people that she loved within the past few years, being with Damon would only make him even more of a target than he already was. Damon would do anything for Elena and that meant making stupid reckless decisions based on his instinct to protect her. If they were together this would more than likely be intensified. Elena couldn't live with that. Elena sighed heavily, knowing that she would have to try her hardest to bring some distance between her and Damon.

The thought of hurting Damon was making Elena feel sick. She couldn't help but toss and turn in her bed as she imagined his beautiful smile slowly fading. The butterflies in her stomach had flown away and she was suddenly left with an emptiness that mirrored how she felt after she had lost her parents. She knew how hard this was going to be, she never wanted to hurt the people she cared about. She especially didn't want to hurt Damon.

Elena's emotions were all over the place and for once in her life she had no one to turn to. She began to sob, the weight of the situation taking control of her again. She didn't want this, she didn't want to push Damon away. But, she had to. She needed to keep a space between herself and the people she was closest to. The way Elena saw it, was that by keeping a distance she was actually protecting them. She had to make sure she didn't accidentally slip up and tell them what was happening. It would only end in them being taken away from her. All she had to do was go through with this plan and then everything could go back to normal.

Elena began to settle down once she was satisfied with her plan. She knew she had to go and see the Salvatore brothers tomorrow and she was not looking forward to it. She had complicated feelings for them both, which wasn't going to make any of this easier.

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Elena stared at the huge house in front of her that had slowly become her second home. She had shared so many amazing memories with both Salvatore brothers in the boarding house. The ache that Elena had felt last night began again to slowly arise in her chest. She shook her head, reminding herself to keep it together. She knew that no matter what happened she had to keep a clear head. She had to focus on not letting herself be open to them. She didn't have to read their minds, she just needed to try and anger them enough so that they would leave her alone for a few hours. She had to go and see Klaus, and if any of them knew that she was going to see him she wouldn't be allowed out the front door. Her plan was to get this done as soon as possible. She wanted to get the information from Klaus and then get Esther to undo the spell. Simple…

Elena walked up the to the front door of the Salvatore boarding house and knocked gently, quietly preparing herself to face the two men behind it. Elena's heart began to quicken as she heard footsteps coming towards the door. She prayed it wasn't Damon, she wasn't sure if she could face him right away after what happened last night. She was sure as soon as she saw him that her face would turn a dark shade of red.

"Elena… you know you can just open the door and walk in, right?" Stefan asked as he answered the door, a small smile gracing his lips. Elena could see a big change in him since Klaus had set him free. She knew that he would never be like the old Stefan again, but she could sometimes still see glimmers of the old him shining through.

"I know, I just didn't know if you were busy or something," Elena answered, nervously. She was worried that the plan was going to fall through and she would cave within five minutes of talking to them.

"Busy? Well, trying to kill all of the Originals can be rather time consuming, but I'm sure we can spare you a few minutes," Stefan joked, opening the door wide for Elena to enter the house.

"You're different, you know…" Elena said softly, knowing that she was probably going too deep with conversation after only talking to Stefan for around ten seconds.

"So are you," Stefan replied simply, slightly taken aback by Elena's comment.

_You don't look at me the same way anymore…not like how you look at Damon. _

Elena twitched nervously as she heard Stefan's thoughts, but tried her hardest to ignore them. She didn't intentionally mean to look at Stefan any differently, but it was hard after everything that he had done. She knew she still loved him to some extent, but she also knew that it would never be enough.

"Well, I guess time can change you. You were gone all summer, Stefan. A lot of things happened that you just weren't here for." Elena was aware that this was the first time that they had both talked about what happened between them like mature adults. There was no shouting, no questions, just hard truths.

"I know and I'm sorry." Was all he could say in return. He wished that he could say so much more to her. But, how could he ever make her see what had really happened? He had shown her so many times over the last few months that he was a monster, he wasn't sure that they could ever come back from that.

"Anyway, is Damon here? I would like to talk to you both, if you don't mind?"

_Of course she is here to see Damon. Why wouldn't she be? He's the one that has always been there for her, not me._

Elena was finding it hard to hear Stefan's thoughts. She didn't like the way he was bringing everything back to Damon. She didn't want him resenting that fact that she was closer to him now. He had been there for her through everything and he always protected her. Damon was the only person now that she ever felt truly safe around; it hadn't always been that way. But, he was there when she needed him most and that was what mattered.

"Sure. Just, come on through. I'm sure he's having a drink." Stefan shut the door behind Elena and followed her through to where Damon was sitting, a glass of bourbon in his hand.

"Twice in under 12 hours? Can you just not keep away from me or something? Seeing as I'm so _hot_ and all that," Damon said loudly, his famous smirk gracing his lips. He was absolutely loving this.

Elena cringed for what felt like the hundredth time, she didn't think he would bring it up so soon. She wanted to say something horrible in reply. But, how could she? Elena looked over to where Damon was sitting and he was looking as incredible as always. His blue eyes shining brightly, his dark-raven hair a complete mess but somehow only making him look even more flawless. His black t-shirt was tight, only making the muscles on his body more visible. He was hot… and Elena knew it.

"You really are funny, Damon. Please, drop the subject," Elena groaned as she sat across from him. His eyes never left hers as he crooked his eyebrow, enjoying her reaction.

"Drop what subject? The one where you kept telling me how hot I was last night?" Damon asked innocently, looking over to Stefan to see his reaction.

_This is going to be fun._

Elena glared at Damon, knowing he was only doing this to get a rise out of Stefan and to embarrass her. He really was a pain in the ass sometimes. Elena looked round to Stefan, he seemed confused..

"You just love doing this, don't you?" Elena asked, the anger still evident on her face.

"What? Telling the truth… Believe it or not I am known to do it from time to time," Damon replied, laughing softly as he did so.

"Damon, I've never known you to speak a word of the truth in your entire life," Stefan said angrily, clearly not enjoying the conversation between his elder brother and Elena.

"Elena, please enlighten my brother and tell him the truth," Damon smiled at Elena, knowing she would never repeat what was said the previous night.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Elena replied, trying to gain some control of the situation. She had to learn to be able to control what she was saying or she would never have a chance around Klaus.

"Liar, liar, pants on fire, Elena. Just tell Stefan what you said last night, for me, please?" Damon smiled sweetly, fluttering his eyebrows jokingly as he did.

Elena went to protest again, wanting to tell Stefan that nothing happened last night. She didn't like lying to him, but she didn't want to upset him. He had been through enough. She didn't want to confirm what he was thinking. They could still have a chance together. But, she could feel it again, the word vomit was about to take over and there was nothing that she could do to stop it.

"I called Damon hot last night… because he is hot, very hot." Elena's hand flew up to her mouth as she watched Damon choke and spit out his bourbon.

_This can't be happening… it was always supposed to be me and her._

Elena jumped as she turned to look at Stefan, scared by the intensity of his thoughts. His face was paler than normal, his hands gripping the chair he was standing behind. She could tell he was angry. A part of her felt like he had no right to be. They hadn't been together in a long while and after everything he had done there was no way that she would ever trust him again. But, she also felt bad because this was the guy she used to love more than anything in the world. He had been through so much this year and even though all he had done was cause her pain, she wanted to make everything okay for him. She wanted him to be at peace again, especially with his brother. Elena was worried that this would just push them even further apart, just like what happened with Katherine.

"Well…um, yeah. That is exactly what happened," Damon said, clearly caught off guard by Elena's confession. He couldn't believe that Elena had told the truth. He had only been playing with her, trying to push her buttons around Stefan. Damon tried not to show it but he was ecstatic. He knew that it was a big step for Elena to tell him that, never mind saying it in front of Stefan. He knew this was a good sign. He knew she would always love Stefan, but hearing and seeing her act like this way was giving him hope.

"Well, not exactly… you, um also kissed me," Elena said really fast, wanting to tape her mouth shut. This wasn't going the way she wanted at all. She didn't know what to do, it was like the previous night all over again.

"You kissed? What, are you two together now or something?" Stefan asked loudly, the anger evident in his voice.

"No… I just kissed Elena to say thank you for last night. We're just friends, Stefan. You know she has like some weird, eternal love for you," Damon said sarcastically, wanting to defuse the situation but also remind himself of when Elena once told him that it would always be Stefan.

_If only she felt that way about me…I love her so much. _

Elena stared at Damon, completely forgetting that Stefan was in the room. Every time that she heard that he loved her, something inside Elena snapped. It took everything in her not to jump across the room and kiss him with everything that she had in her. She did have strong feelings for him, but it was those feelings that were keeping her away from him. She couldn't break the bond these brothers shared. She couldn't put any of them in anymore danger than they already were. It wasn't fair, it was just selfish.

"I… I need to get out of here." Stefan turned around, ready to leave. He couldn't stand being in the room any longer. He knew that Elena loved him, but he could also see that she felt something strong for Damon too. This was what he had dreaded all along; history repeating itself.

"Please, don't leave. I came here to talk to you both," Elena said quickly, wanting to get this over with as soon as possible. She had to try and remember the reason that she was here in the first place or all this embarrassment would have been for nothing.

Elena noticed Stefan reluctantly walk over and sit next to Damon. Both brother's eyeing her curiously, anxious to know what she was about to say.

"I need you both to give me some space for a while. I feel like I need to be alone and think about things. I can't see you both anymore," Elena sighed heavily, looking down as she did so. She couldn't look up and see their faces, she knew it would only make things harder.

"Well, I won't ever leave you alone… so there is no point in asking me that," Damon said angrily, annoyed at Elena's previous request. He had no idea where it had come from, seeing as things were going so well with them at the moment.

"Damon, I just need some time to myself. I need to think about things. I can't have you around me all the time. I can look after myself," Elena lied.

"Like that is ever going to happen. I'm never leaving you. End of conversation," Damon said sternly, getting up and pouring another drink then leaving the room before Elena could say another word.

Elena couldn't hear his thoughts and was more than certain that he was hurt by what she hasd just said. He was trying to shut her out… just like she wanted. She felt horrible for doing this and was finding that pushing Damon away was one of the hardest things she would ever have to do. Elena knew that they would never truly leave her alone, but she did need some time today to try and find out what she needed. Then, she could tell them everything.

"Why are you doing this? I will of course respect your wishes, even if I don't agree with them. But, it doesn't really make any sense, Elena…" Stefan knew better than to go against what Elena wanted. That would always be the one difference between him and his brother.

"I have my reasons. I don't mean forever, just while I sort a few things out." Elena was happy with the way that Stefan was taking the news. She had expected this from him. However, she wasn't happy at how Damon reacted; she knew that he would take more persuading.

"If that is what you want, then that's fine. You should probably go and speak to Damon though…" Stefan said softly as he stood up and walked away, not wanting to hear their conversation. He had heard enough for one day. He felt completely helpless, and much like Elena he needed time to himself.

Elena nodded, knowing that this conversation was probably going to be even harder than the one she had just shared. Elena walked to the back of the house and outside to the garden. She could see Damon sitting down on the grass, but instead of a glass of bourbon in his hand, he now had the full bottle.

Elena walked over to him, sitting next to him on the grass. She didn't know how she was going to start the conversation. Damon was never the easiest person to speak to, especially when he had his guard up.

"I thought you would have left… that's usually what happens after you say you don't want to see someone anymore." Damon focused on the tree ahead of him, scared to look Elena in the eye.

"Damon, I don't want to never see you again. I just need some Elena time. I feel like I count on you too much. I need to count on myself more. I'm just asking for some space, okay? Just for a few weeks," Elena pleaded, hoping Damon wouldn't make this any harder than it already was.

"Well, I need some Elena time too. Do you know how hard it is to go even a few hours without seeing you? I told you not long ago that I would never leave you again and I'm keeping that promise… whether you like it or not," Damon said huskily, as he finally turned round to face Elena.

"You can't talk like this, Damon… not after what happened last night" Elena said softly, her eyes zoning in on Damon's lips.

"You don't seem very upset about what happened last night, Elena. Why the big act?" Damon's hand came up to Elena's face, holding it softly.

"I-I just can't do this with you… it would make me like her, like Katherine." Elena, tried to pull away from Damon, knowing that being so close to him was going to affect her.

"You are nothing like Katherine, Elena. You're amazing. You're beautiful. You're perfect." Damon's lips were down dangerously close to Elena's. She knew that there was no way that she could possibly move away from him now. She felt like she was in a trance and she wasn't going to do anything but give into it.

"Damon…don't," Elena said with absolutely no conviction, moving her head so now Damon's lips were mere inches from her own.

Elena quickly jumped back as she heard her phone in her bag. She started searching through her bag, completely flustered by her near kiss with Damon. That would have been the third kiss in the last twenty-four hours and she knew that without even realising it, that things between her and Damon had drastically changed.

Elena finally found her phone and noticed that the text was from Esther. She turned away, so that Damon wouldn't be able to read it.

**Come and see me at the house, I have come up with a plan – E**

Elena sighed softly, she had wanted to go see Klaus and not have to deal with Esther until all of this was over.

"I need to go, Damon. I'll see you later." Elena quickly stood up, not wanting to explain herself to Damon.

"Wait, Elena… where are you going?" Damon stood up after her, the concern evident in his eyes.

"Caroline needs to see me, she has a girl situation going on," Elena lied.

"Okay, well, I'll see you later?" Damon said hopefully.

"I meant what I said, Damon. I need some time." Elena quickly turned round and walked away, not wanting to hear Damon's reply.

She quickly text Esther back, letting her know that she was on her way. She knew that she had to now focus on the task at hand, but her mind kept thinking back to the blue-eyed man she had left only moments ago.

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**Thank you all for reading. I hoped you enjoyed the chapter, please post a review.**

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**To those who reviewed last chapter but don't have an account -**

**xoxo - Thanks for the review, I am glad you enjoyed it!**

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**Guest - I hope you enjoyed the next chapter! Thank you so much for the review. I am really glad you are enjoying the Delena scenes. I agree, Elena will be seeing a different side to both Damon and Stefan.**

**Guest - Thank you for the review. I am glad that you are enjoying it! Elena will see a new side to Damon and it will hopefully be very interesting. :)**


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